A recent article from the Content Marketing Institute points out that marketers often fear two primary aspects of video marketing:

“First, there’s tremendous anxiety about getting in front of the camera.” The fear of being judged scares people away, even if they themselves are not the ones who will be on-camera.

Also, there is general fear of actually transforming video footage into a final product, driven by unfamiliarity with “the tools and expertise needed to make a complete project.” In an industry that thrives on ROI, marketers may fear investing time and money, without being clear about how it may benefit them.

Well video marketing isn’t going anywhere any time soon, and in 2018 it will continue to be more important than ever, so read on for 5 tips for dealing with the most common fears of video marketing:

1. You Worry About Return on Investment

Worrying about ROI is a legit fear, but one that can be tamed. Today there are a plethora of ways for individuals to share their video content very inexpensively or even for free, and there are ways of measuring success and identifying clear ROI.

Performance can be observed using any number of tools and measurements from YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other video hosting or social media platforms.

My advice for addressing this fear is to select specific goals that can be measured using video stats and dig into your strategy to communicate an idea or message that will resonate with a target audience. Test it, Measure it, Improve and move forward!

2. You Have a Fear of Speaking On Camera

This is a common fear, but it can be beat with proper preparation and with the guidance of video marketing producers, directors, and even through editing.

If you need to be on camera, here are several ways you can improve your abilities:

Study and practice the script – If there is a script, you should practice it aloud until you are completely comfortable reciting it, whether memorized or not. Simply being familiar with what is being said can make your delivery smoother and more natural, and let you start to explore with a variety of intonations.

Practice with interview questions – If your producer is using an interview-style approach, be sure you have a copy of these questions in advance. Think ahead about ideal answers and practice speaking aloud to be sure phrases roll off the tongue.

Warm up your vocals – Enhance your comfort on camera by being ready to speak. Try some of these vocal exercises.

Let experts guide you – Working with a producer means you’ll have someone there to coach you through filming. Your producer will be the one writing or shaping your script or interview questions, and will be able to guide you through speaking so that he captures a range of dialogue on film.

3. You Fear How You Will Look On Camera

This is another common and reasonable fear, but one that can be addressed. First, it helps to remember that everything does look different on-camera, and you will have to adjust and get used to what you are seeing.

Second, there are several things you can do to improve how you look on camera:

Wardrobe – Wardrobe should be neat and clean, and ideally solid colors that look good on you. Avoid wearing green if being filmed on green screen, and avoid very busy patterns. Prepare a few different options and see how they look on-screen before you start filming.

Working with a wardrobe stylist is also a great way to ensure you look your best.  They can be on set during filming to make sure everything looks perfect.

Hair and Makeup – Whether you’re a man or woman, you’ll want your skin and hair to look its best on camera. Be sure to avoid having sunburns or uneven tans, and have the ideal beard length or hair style.

Hair and Makeup stylists can groom you on set. This is a good idea because the lighting and camera can change how things look. A stylist can see how you look on the monitor and adjust from there.

Poise and Posture – This is another small detail that can make a big difference. Try out different seating or standing postures on-camera and see how they look. If you want to look professional, you’ll want to be seated upright.

Perhaps you want to look laid back. Well, there’s a subtle difference between laid back and looking like you’re literally laying back. You may need to play with the amount of lean that looks right on camera.

4. You Fear Working with a Video Marketing Company

Forming a relationship with any other person or group can be a sensitive experience, especially when it involves a great amount of teamwork, and investment in both time and expense. This is why selecting the right video production company is essential. Here are some tips on finding the right one:

Check out their work – Study their online portfolio of video samples. Remember, a company with a lot of experience may have a jillion samples to offer, so don’t be too quick to dismiss them based on just one or two samples.

See if they have a diverse range of samples too. This shows a variety of experience and shows that a team might be more adept at adjusting to your specific needs.

See how active they are – You’ll want to make sure that whoever you are considering to work with isn’t just someone who fills in spare bits of time, but rather a company that is actively engaged in producing video and keeping up with current video trends and technologies.

You can evaluate this by seeing how regularly they share news or blog posts. You can also look at their social media pages, or their staff’s Linked In profiles to see how active they are. Does it seem like you will get the personal attention and response that you deserve?

Make contact – The very best way to get comfortable with a video marketing company is to initiate the process of getting to know them. Reach out and ask for a meeting to discuss your potential video ideas and budget, and see what guidance they have to offer.

A video marketing company should be willing to spend the time it takes to help you explore your goals, needs, budget and plan for leveraging your video to help your business. They can show you what they have to offer in a way that is tailored to your specific questions and interests.

Check out testimonials, or ask for references – A successful video marketing company has no shame in their game! They should have testimonial videos for you to watch, and should be able to refer you to clients who are willing to share insight from their experience.

5. You Have a Fear of the Entire Production Process

The entire video production process can be a lengthy and detailed one at times. This is exactly why it’s so helpful to enlist video marketing professionals. Being prepared is one thing, but actually navigating the execution of that plan is a whole other ballgame! But, you should still be prepared on your end, here’s how:

Be familiar with the process – Familiarize yourself with the main phases of the process, and all aspects of the process that may apply to your specific project.

Be active in the process – If you’re working with a video marketing company, they will lead the way and do all of the work in coordinating, scouting, writing, casting, planning, scheduling and more, but will need your clarity on the end goals you wish to achieve. They will be happy to do the leg works and keep you in the loop at whatever level you desire.

For example, maybe you want to be involved in the exact scripting, but defer to them for styling with regard to wardrobe, graphics or other creative visual and audio choices. They will partner with you in whatever way makes you comfortable, but will ask your trust in helping you with the rest.

Start small – It’s very common for people to want to cover a huge variety of things in one video, but video is more successful when it’s succinct and conveys a very clear message. So, think about one objective you wish to achieve, and start with that. And, as discussed in #1, this way you can produce, measure, improve and repeat!

No one says you have to be a fearless expert overnight. Get your feet wet with the process by starting small, and in no time you won’t even remember what that fear feels like – By the time 2019 rolls around, you’ll be a pro at making video marketing work for you.